Three Woodstock Union High School students were honored on April 30 for their visionary ideas about shaping Vermont’s future as the first recipients of the Laurance and Mary Rockefeller Legacy Scholarship, a new annual essay competition created to honor the Rockefellers’ lasting impact on the community.
The scholarship program was launched in 2025 by The Woodstock Foundation, in collaboration with Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock Inn & Resort, and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, to celebrate and carry forward the Rockefellers’ values of environmental stewardship and long-term community investment.
During a reception hosted by the scholarship partners, Joaquin Jones-Welker, a junior at Woodstock Union High School, was announced as the first-place winner, receiving $2,500 in scholarship funds. Maggie Knox, also a junior, earned second place and a $1,000 award, and Jane Stout, a senior, took third place with a $500 prize.
Students were asked to envision a sustainable environmental, cultural, or economic impact for Vermont lasting 25, 50, or 100 years into the future. Essay themes ranged from green, affordable housing and expanded community land trusts to creative ideas for intergenerational connection and cultural exchange.
“This scholarship creates an opportunity for the next generation to learn about [Laurance and Mary Rockefeller’s] impact and reflect on how their values and actions can inspire us today,” said David Simmons, president of The Woodstock Foundation and executive director of Billings Farm & Museum. “We’re grateful to all of the students who shared their impressive ideas and are proud to recognize our inaugural award winners.”
Bruce Grosbety, Woodstock Inn & Resort’s president, praised the students’ engagement. “We’re incredibly appreciative to all who participated,” said Grosbety. “This contest is about engaging with the next generation—especially local residents who benefit from the Rockefellers’ vision every day—so that legacy endures and they have the knowledge to take up the mantle.
The stewardship chain has grown stronger with each generation… It is beyond gratifying to see, through these essays, that the next generation of people are ready to care for these places around Woodstock,” said Rick Kendall, Superintendent of Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, emphasizing the importance of generational stewardship.
“This essay contest allows these young folks the ability to cultivate deeper reflection and synthesize what they’ve learned in order to propose a better future,” added Kat Robbins, the high school’s place-based learning coordinator.
The essay competition is open annually to Woodstock Union High School students in grades 10 through 12. The program is supported by The Woodstock Foundation, Woodstock Inn & Resort, the Countryside Fund, and the Green Mountain Foundation.
For more info, visit: woodstockfoundation.org.
